Artificial earthquake test of buried water distribution network

• An artificial earthquake test is performed on buried pipe network.
• Ratios of joint deformation, pipe-soil slippage and pipe strain are given.
• Threshold of field strain that determines the occurrence of pipe-soil slippage exist.

In this study, a 24 m×24 m buried pipeline network is constructed and an artificial earthquake test is performed with explosives in the field. The buried pipeline network is composed of segmented ductile cast-iron pipelines that are connected by bell-and-spigot joints and welded steel pipelines. The test preparation process is illustrated in detail, including the laying of the pipeline network and sensor deployment. The test process and test phenomena are then described. Test results of ductile cast-iron pipelines are also obtained and analyzed, including those for field acceleration, joint deformations, pipe strains, and pipe-soil relative slippages. Finally, the relationships among field deformation, joint deformation, pipe-soil relative slippage, and pipeline strain are analyzed and explained.